SPOKANE, WASHINGTON -- Approximately a month and a half ago I decided to call Qwest and see what their company charged for phone service. The customer service representative told me there was a package special in my area for DirecTV, high-speed internet and phone service. I decided to accept the offer and switch all my services over to Qwest. This is where I made a HUGE mistake! The customer service representative scheduled to have DirecTV and Qwest come to my home for the installations, in advance. She scheduled to have Direct TV come on Tuesday the 24th and Qwest, the following week, on Tuesday the 30th.

I informed her that I was currently a Comcast customer, my phone service ran through my cable and I could NOT have my phone service disrupted at all. She said, quote: "Rest assured your phone service will NOT be disrupted with Comcast." I was relieved and accepted the appointments. I had to agree upon a two-year contract through Qwest and DirecTV to receive this package deal, so I did.

The 24th came around and a DirecTV technician came, as scheduled, to install my cable. I told him, as well, that I was a Comcast customer and my phone service ran through my cable. He told me that I would not have any disruptions with my phone service. On that note I decided it was OK to head off to work. My 5-year old daughter was home with my boyfriend while the DirecTV installer was here. My boyfriend signed the DirecTV paperwork when the cable installation was complete. When I returned home from work, I went to check everything out and what do you know?? My phone was not working and the modem had absolutely no signal.

I called DirecTV and told them the problem I was having. The customer service rep told me that Comcast may be having issues with their service and I should try calling them. I questioned her on what exactly does a technician do in the installation process. She answered my question with, "When our technicians go out to install cable service, they do not interfere with prior cable services."

So I decided to call Comcast to find out if there was any cable/phone disruptions in my area. The representative told me that there was not. I told her that I had DirecTV out to install cable and asked if that could be the reason why my phone was not working. She told me she was 100% sure that had to be the problem. The representative told me, "When DirecTV came out, they must have clipped my cable line to install the new cable."

I asked if they could have a technician come out and fix this problem for me. I was told there was a service charge and it would be about a week and a half before they could get someone to my house. There was no way I was going to wait that long AND pay a service charge to have this problem fixed.

At this point I called DirecTV. The representative verified who I was and I told her the problem I was having. She placed me on hold for about 5 minutes. When she arrived back on the line, she was very sympathetic and told me the technician that came out to my home clipped my old cable line to start a new one. This was their standard procedure. She also stated she could get someone out on Friday to get my phone back up and running, although, I may have to reschedule another technician to come out and re-install my cable after Qwest installs my phone/internet service.

I told her it HAD to be sometime sooner. She said that was the only available time. She asked me when Qwest was scheduled to come and install my phone and internet service. I told her they were not scheduled until the 30th. She told me to call Qwest and tell them what is going on and see if there is any way they could come out at an earlier time.

So I called Qwest, spoke to a computer, verified myself, told the representative my problem and answered a few questions she had. She was also very sympathetic and placed me on hold for about 5 minutes. When she got back on the line, I was told there was no earlier availability. I am EXTREMELY ANGRY at this point. Now I decide to call Comcast back and cancel all my services. If I cannot have my phone service turned back on and I have cable installed with DirecTV, why should I continue paying for services through Comcast for another week?

So I called Comcast and told them I wanted to cancel all my services. The customer service representative told me that I could not make any changes or cancellations on my account because there is a port transfer contract on my account, scheduled for the 30th, with Qwest Communications. I told her I wanted to speak to a supervisor. He also tells me the same. So I tell him my problem and asked if there was anything that he or I could do. He told me the only way I could cancel my account with them is to call Qwest and get a new phone number.

So I call Qwest AGAIN! Talk to the computer AGAIN! Verify myself AGAIN! Tell the representative my problem and answer a few questions AGAIN! I told the representative I want to speak to a supervisor. She tells me that there are no supervisors or managers available and she could take my name and number and have someone call me back. Three and a half hours pass by and no return call.

I decide to call Qwest back AGAIN and I finally get to speak to a manager. I tell the manager my problem, answer a few questions -- so he understands my problems entirety -- and he places me on hold for a few minutes. When he arrived back on the line, he is also very sympathetic. He told me he called the company they are contracted with, to see about getting someone out at an earlier time and there was absolutely nothing available.

So the manager cancelled my original package order and submits a new one with a different phone number (which I did not want in the first place). He also states he is going to waive the installation charges and give me three months of free phone service. First of all, this is what already comes with the package. I don't see where this is going to benefit me. Secondly, the original package I signed up for was going to cost about $98 a month whereas this new package is going to cost me $121 a month. What happened? I have wasted 5 and a half hours trying to resolve this problem and have got nowhere.

So here I am stuck without phone/internet service for 6 more days. I would also like to mention my 5-year old daughter--with health problems--is at home all day with her babysitter, without phone service. If anything happens, what are they going to do? So here I am a month into the services and I receive my first monthly statement. The bill was approximately $260, I expected that because I am paying for the current month and in advance for the next month.

I paid the bill in full a couple days after I received it. About a week and a half later I receive an email from DirecTV stating I owe my monthly bill. I was not even supposed to get a bill from DirecTV!! I knew I signed up for the Bundle Package Deal through Qwest so I only have one bill for my home phone, internet and cable services. I called DirecTV, spoke to another customer service representative and told her they would have to contact Qwest before I would pay the bill. The customer service rep. told me they do not communicate with Qwest and if I was signed up for the Package Deal, they DirecTV, would not be billing me.

I called Qwest back - went through the computer bit, waited on hold and verified myself - the customer service rep. told me, "When you requested to have your number changed" (which I never wanted to begin with) everything must have got all mixed up with my bundle package deal. She told me she would send the request/approval for the bundle package to DirecTV and it may take up to three billing cycles before everything is combined on one bill.

I called Direct TV so they were aware that I contacted Qwest and the approval was on its way. The customer service rep. transferred me to a resolution specialist "To Make Things Right". I told the resolution specialist EVERYTHING that had happened and she opened my account and gave me 3 months of free HBO. I thanked her for that. It was approximately a three days later when I had time to sit down and watch some TV, when I turned it on, none of my channels were working EXCEPT HBO.

I went online to try to troubleshoot the problem, with no avail. I decided I had to call them back. The technician I spoke to told me, "The last representative that opened my account removed my Platinum package deal, added HBO. She must have forgot the last step in the process." So the technician fixed everything up for me. Now here I am paying for home phone, internet and cable television individually and at normal cost. I am not receiving the discount for bundling everything and its all my fault apparently. I usually don't post things like this but I had to get it off my chest and I do NOT recommend Qwest for the Bundle Package Deal they are offering right now.

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If You Bundle With Qwest: Watch Yourself!

By AZdesertman2011 - 01/03/2011

Qwest Bundling of services is 3 card Monte, only worst. In 3 card Monte you (the Mark) get to select the RED QUEEN 1-in-3 chance. You win 'til you lose. Then you walk away. With Qwest, a sales representative tells you 2 years high speed internet @ $14.99 a month if you bundle it with home phone service for $35 a month for a year and if you bundle DirecTV, it's $24.99 a month off for 2 years. So I say that sounds great (and I'm stuck paying for 2 years prices I never agreed too) plus they are offering Visa cards loaded with from $50 to $300 dollars depending on what you sign up for.

I ask what will I get, he says that will have to be determined because we have to bring your account over from DirecTV. They next mail me a modem, they turn on the phone service. My first month's bill is $199.00. I call customer service. They tell me no such bundling offer exists. I tell them I have a copy of the chat, which I saved with one note (I didn't play fair) CS tells me that the chat is not acceptable proof. I tell them it has the reps name and ID number on each line.

CS tells me there is nothing that can be done: the internet is only good for 6 months, not 2 years, but if I increase my monthly payment from $14.99 to $29.99 a month, I can have it for 2 years at that price, and that's for 1.5 Mbps service. My area does not have the up to 40 Mbps service available and they don't know when it will be available! I said I was getting 8 Mbps from Comcast for $30 a month, does it make sense to you I would downgrade my service?

CS told me they are not in the business of figuring out why customers change to Qwest and it doesn't matter because I have agreed to a 2-year contract. I then asked what is happening to my DirecTV bundling, CS said there is no record of a request to bundle DirecTV on my account and besides, it is only $5 off a month for 12 months and that I was not going to receive and cash back Visa card!!! I asked for a supervisor, CS said there were none available, and besides they would just tell me the same thing.

Knowing that Qwest has a "LOYALTY" department to handle resolutions, when I confronted CS with this information, CS denied to me that any entity existed beyond her voice to help me and if I had a problem, I should write to corporate. CS then said is there anything else I may help you with before ending this call? I asked CS to enumerate all of those things that were resolved during this call. CS say, "I don't have to keep repeating myself to you, I don't like your tone or the direction this call is going, have a good day." Then dead air. I was hung up on.

My suggestion to all of you folks reading this is remember it, should you get an urge to "Go With QWEST", I was lied to, some might say defrauded, I was told that what I said could not be true! So, according to QWEST I am a liar. I am stuck in a marriage of my own making, but when I lifted the veil the bride, was the Bride of Frankenstein. Anyone out there have a similar problem with QWEST bundling or deceit? IF SO, HOW DID YOU FIX IT? Can anyone give me any advice, I would really like some help fighting Corporate America! Thanks for reading. HELP ME!

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Do Not Get Any Bundle Packages With Qwest!

By frustrationkicksin - 01/30/2010

ARIZONA -- I would not recommend getting any bundle packages through Qwest. First of all, they know nothing about the bundle services they offer. Qwest offers one thing for a certain price and certain restrictions, then DirecTV and/or Verizon Wireless (depending on which you choose) tell you something totally different. They will even admit to Qwest not knowing what they are doing and false advertising, but of course they won't do anything about it because Qwest's mistakes makes them money!

Qwest offered me the bundle package, and I first went with DirecTV. The price Qwest offered me was totally different than DirecTV's bills that appeared on my Qwest bundle bill. I called Qwest, they told me I had to talk to DirecTV. I called DirecTV and all they can say is they don't know why Qwest gave me the prices if they don't know, and that it would cost me $400 to cancel my contract with them.

Another problem was that I accepted an offer through a Qwest representative (when all I called for in the first place was a question on my bill) for a "free thirty-day trial - no obligation promotion" on their cell phone services with Verizon wireless. I thought it sounded too good to be true after all the fancy talk the representative gave me. He told me that I had no financial obligation to them or Verizon for thirty days, as long as I return the phones to Verizon before the thirty-day period ends.

I did just that, and was not happy with the phones or service I got (since Qwest was trying to pass the buck when I called them to get the same exact phones that the Qwest representative promised me) so I returned them to Verizon Wireless fifteen days before the thirty-day trial period was up. Since I liked Verizon Wireless, I went online and ordered phones through them separately. I thought it was weird that I did not get a bill from Verizon for almost two months. But then I got a bill from Qwest stating I owed $825.70 to them from the Verizon Wireless they paid Verizon from the 30-day trial period usage.

There was no way in hell that we used that much money worth of service in a matter of 15 days. I called Qwest, they tried to justify it, then basically told me that they already paid the bill; therefore, I am responsible for it. I called Verizon and asked them what was going on. They told me that someone there forgot to enter in the system that the phones were returned, and for me not to worry. They would take care of it.

The next month, Verizon sent me a bill for -$68, meaning I did not owe any money that month. That same month I got the bill from Qwest for the $825.70. Verizon told me that I would have to talk to Qwest about the bill to see if they can refund it. I called Qwest again and asked them to please call Verizon with me on the phone, because this issue needed to be resolved. Qwest representatives refuse to do that, and told me that I needed to contact Verizon on my own.

So all in all, Qwest is giving me the run around for paying a bill that they did not even bother asking me or Verizon about, and Verizon is giving me the run around about them crediting half of the $825.70 toward my new cell phone service with them. But what I told them was that even with that credit, there was no way that we used $400 worth of service in 15 days. So my advice to anyone trying to look for cheaper service is "never get Qwest bundle packages" - they suck! That is Qwest's, DirecTV's and Verizon Wireless's way of making quick money, and that is wrong. I am also going to notify the Better Business Bureau regarding this matter.

If you want to spend thousands of dollars over Qwest's and Verizon Wireless's mistakes that they keep trying to justify instead of stepping up to the plate and correcting it because they value their customers, then go ahead and try it, but if you're smart, you will go with Cox. It's cheaper in the long-run, better service, "no contracts", no hidden fees or microscopic writing, etc. Getting Qwest was the biggest mistake of my life, and I wish I could take it all back.

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BEWARE

By KGrace - 10/07/2010

I am a college student and upon moving into my first place, I got Qwest for internet service. The house I lived in was old and the phone line wasn't connected so I called after getting service to come install a phone line so I would be able to use the internet. During this time on the phone trying to get a service tech to come out, they told me I could bundle my Verizon service into one bill with them so I agreed.

After scheduling two times for them to come install the phone line, only to have no one show, I cancelled my Qwest service and that's where it all began. They tried to tell me I'd have to pay for the two months I had gone without service even though I never had internet access because they never installed it! They also informed me I'd have to pay the termination fee which I was fine with, just not the service I never had.

During this time I paid my Verizon bill individually since I had cancelled my Qwest service. However months later, I get an outstanding bill of $800 (yes $800!!!!) from Qwest saying that they had paid multiple Verizon bills. I did a three-way call with Verizon and Qwest where Verizon told Qwest we had paid the bills and they still won't drop it. I called countless times and have spent 5 hours easy talking to them.

Now I'm getting daily harassing/rude calls from Qwest to pay for a service I never had and phone bills I've already paid. My mother has even talked to them and they constantly give the run around saying my ONLY option is to pay them the full $800+ dollars. I would have easily gone without internet if I had known this is how it would be.

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DO NOT USE THEM!!!

By Mseyz_15 - 09/12/2011

MINNESOTA -- Qwest supposedly wired my apartment building therefore I am forced to use their service. The wiring job was awful. There are at least 8 phone line jacks in my apartment, however, I had to choose ONLY one to use when my internet was connected due to the crappy wiring (I'm the first person to use the internet service in this unit as they are new apartments). Their prices are ridiculously high.

I was away for sometime and came back to my internet and DirecTV not working. Clearly it was due to something I did not do and they would not give me credit. The DSL was out because a prior service technician knocked my line out on accident. Since I was not there for months to know exactly when this occurred, they would not give me at least some credit for them messing up my connection although I was paying for a service that was not working.

Another issue is I sat and waited for repair for the 4-hour time window. I find out I'm the only repair ticket for the morning for this technician who calls me 15 minutes past the window time only because I called to company to find out what was going on. He apologized and told me he couldn't gain access to my box because the office was closed. Had I known that is what he needed I would have scheduled it at a different time. Other cable companies have told me to make sure the office is open, why couldn't Century Link?

Waste of my time. Waste of their money. DO NOT USE THEM!! Also, it would be nice if their business office was open beyond 5 pm daily. Somewhat hard to spend 20-30 minutes on the phone with customer service when I have to work.

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Don't Be A Sucker - Do Your Research - Take The Bad Reviews Seriously!

By Shoulda read ba reviews - 03/26/2011

I have read most of the reviews on here and boy do I wish I had done my research before calling Qwest to order service. My problem with Qwest goes back to well over a year. If it weren't for the fact that I am trying to purchase a new home in the near future, I would let this account go bad because I am seriously being ripped off by Qwest. I will make this short.

I ordered Qwest for the first time last spring 2010 but only ordered internet. Somehow, when I got the bill I noticed I was being charged for phone service as well. I called them and told them to please remove the charge and any phone service because I didn't ask for it. The representative said she would note it in the account and asked that I pay the internet charge immediately so I did. I made a phone payment with her. The following month I got my new bill with the phone service charge on there again. Now I had a new charge plus the old charge on the new bill.

I called them again and then the representative told me I had to call a separate number for the billing department and she couldn't transfer me because it was already closed. I called the next day and the representative said she would take care of it immediately. I totally relied that she would, but guess what?! The damn bill came again the following month with the stupid charge on there again. Three months of phone service now at this point tacked onto my bill. WTF!

I called the billing department again and the representative read my account notes and said, "I am so sorry you have gone through all this trouble. I cannot believe it's been this many months and this has not been taken care of for you. I will help you with this and take care of it immediately. You should be getting a credit on your next bill." Wow, I'm super thrilled because the new representative I talked to sounded very nice, professional and honest. That was my feeling talking to her. Boy was I wrong again! Next month's bill, same situation.

I should have gone with my first instinct last month and just requested the service disc. But I didn't think it was fair that they would make me pay for a service I didn't have. Long story short, it's the end of March 2011 and my bill issue has not been resolved. Instead what happened was they closed my account, created a new one so they could use a different account number since I didn't have phone service. What did they do instead? They charged me $25 for "changes to my existing service" and a $35 restoring fee for my internet. Mother efers!

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Bad Service, Bad Billing, Doesn't Follow Through With Promos

By Trish=0) - 02/23/2011

I began my services with Qwest at the beginning of December '10. So, January I had received two separate bills from Qwest. One bill was for about $78, the other was for about $118. I didn't understand why, I could not figure out why either. So I called them and talked to a representative. After a while on the phone, she informed me the bills had two different account numbers, they would be taken care of, and I did need to pay both amounts for the start up costs and services. So I did. I paid them the 21st of January for both amounts, no more that a few days after I had talked to the Qwest representative.

Today's date is February 23, 2011, and in my mailbox was a letter from a collections agency, from Qwest, for the $78 I had paid them last month. Of course I was very upset, so I called the collections agency to see what I needed to do. I ended up calling Qwest, and they told me the payment had been mixed up because there were two accounts (even though they were supposed to have been merged) and there was a $78 credit to the account that I was billed $118, while the account for the $78 dollars was sent to collections. I was furious, since I had made an attempt, last month, to clear up the confusion.

It had been less than a week since my contact with Qwest before they had sent me to collections, no one could give me any answers, and the representatives lost their cool due to my frustration with them. I admit, I was not as calm as I should have been, but I was so upset that I had been told the two separate accounts would be taken care of, they weren't.

Less than a week, those people sent me to collections, no note on my account that I had contacted them with questions about billing and accounts. They made no attempt to collect the amount (if their records did, in fact, showed my account was not paid) before sending me to collections, which would have cleared up the whole situation before it got that far. Then the reps seemed as if THEY were doing me a favor by taking the call. They are paid to do their job.

Needless to say, I ended my services with them just shy of three months. Not that it really matters, I never got the promotion for the prepaid VISA. I didn't complain about that to them at all, but after this billing/collection mix up with impatient reps, I will bring it up. If you go with Qwest, good luck.

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Do Not Order a Bundle With Qwest!!!!

By Hula Girl 929 - 01/13/2010

We moved in August and I decided to try DirecTV instead of cable which I had had for 10 years. Qwest was promoting an $89.99 a month bundle with phone service, internet and DirecTV. I should've known from the start. It took me over and hour on the phone to get signed up. Although the customer service representative was very nice, he seemed to have no idea what was going on. He told me that everything is completely different in each state so it takes them forever to figure things out.

To make a long story short, I have spent over 10 hours of my life in the last 5 months on the phone with Qwest and/or DirecTV. My bill each month has been at least $140 when it should be around $100 with taxes and fees. Qwest blames it on DirecTV and DirecTV blames it on Qwest. THEY ARE OVERCHARGING ME AND I CAN'T GET ANYONE TO TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM.

DO NOT USE THEM UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!!! It will cost me $400 to get out of my contract, I may do it because I can't handle the stress anymore when my bill comes. I can't waste any more time on the phone with these people. If you are going to try to have 2 companies work together, FIGURE YOUR STUFF OUT BEFORE YOU TORTURE US!!!

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Don't Do Business With Qwest

By Barf - 06/03/2009

PHOENIX, ARIZONA -- We unfortunately contracted with Qwest on a bundle package, 11/2008. We were told we would pay $90 a month, lifetime for phone, hi-speed internet and DirecTV. Our first bill arrived and was over $350!! We were NEVER told we were locked into a 2-yr contract on the internet & TV, NEVER told they bill a month in advance and our bill has NEVER been $90. Does this sound familiar to any of the numerous Qwest employees I have spoken with? I have been fighting with them since 11/08 and it is STILL NOT RESOLVED.

I thought my latest encounter with someone in the Loyalty Dept. was going to do the trick...wrong. I received the current bill & it is well over the $25 per month I was promised for JUST phone service; internet is still included and DirecTV that I specifically asked be separated and dropped to the basic package. If I dealt with my clients like this, I would lose my license.

The saga goes on and on because they will not provide you with a means to contact the person you speak with AND you get a different person every time in different states which means you have to recite the problem from beginning to end each time you call. I will do everything I can to bad mouth Qwest and their supposed "services". My contact name says it all....BARF.

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Horrible

By qwestsucks70 - 02/06/2009

WASHINGTON -- Very frustrated. I started back in '07 when I had phone/Direct/internet. I decided to switch to a different company in '08 for phone and internet, leaving my account DirecTV with Qwest. I called back on August to request that I be unbundled with Qwest. I actually had DirecTV representative conference me in. Direct documented the call, Qwest did not. I was told it would be done and received a confirmation number. October, called Qwest to pay bill and inquired if my prior request had been put in. Well to my surprise it hadn't. I then had Direct TV conference me with Qwest again to request this. I received a confirmation number. Again Direct TV documented this, Qwest did not.

Well it's Feb. and I am still bundled. Called in today about it and DirecTV said they would conference me in but they needed the number, they no longer had access. Really? You guys do business together and you don't have a contact phone number in case there is an issue? OK ** (DirecTV Rep), I will give you the number. We get wonderful ** from Idaho call center who puts in another request. I asked speak to a supervisor and he tried for 15 minutes to sway me - telling me that the supervisor would do the same thing, or that he can do everything for me, it's not his job, it is his supervisors job to tell him how he is doing.

Oh really so I am supposed to take your word for it that its actually going to happen? This is my 3rd time. The reason I asked for a supervisor is because he flat out told me I couldn't have one w/ DirecTV still online. I normally let bad customer service go but I'm very frustrated. I worked as an Escalations representative for 5 years, so I know what to say when a customer wants to speak to supervisor. He didn't get it.

This why I will never deal with Qwest again. They have horrible customer service. Just horrible. It was my fault for going back to them when I knew better. I recorded the last several minutes of the conversation and reporting them to Better Business Bureau.